St. Conleth's Parish Newbridge - Newbridge Parish

The Year of Faith - The Ten Commandments
This month we
will look at
the last five of the
Commandments as
a tool for examining
our conscience
before the Sacrament
of Reconciliation.
SIXTH COMMANDMENT:
MAINTAIN INTEGRITY
You shall not commit adultery.
This commandment calls us to reflect
through our bodies what we believe in
our hearts. A married couple commits to
an exclusive relationship that will endure
through life's ups and downs.
Their sexual relationship embodies the
promises at the foundation of their
marriage. Any activity that takes away from
the total self-gift in a marriage violates this
commitment. This commandment also
prohibits sexual activity in relationships
that are not marriages and sexual
interactions in which one person is used
as an object to gratify the desires of the
other.
Do I withhold sharing part of myself
with my spouse in total self-gift? My
vulnerability? My trust? My fertility? My
complete commitment? Do my actions
reflect the promises underlying my most
important relationship? When have my
actions been less than loving? When
have I been unfaithful in thought or action?
Which of my activities or attitudes
weakens the honesty and completeness of
my self-gift in my relationships?
SEVENTH COMMANDMENT:
LIVE GRATITUDE
You shall not steal.
Living this commandment requires that
we treat our posses¬sions as gift, receive
them with gratitude, and recognise that all
things come from God. While we may own
property, we must understand ourselves as
stewards of God's gifts, measuring worth
by what we are rather than what we have.
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Doing the right thing takes priority over
owning the "right" things. We learn to
treasure people rather than things.
When have I valued possessions over
God or others? Am I grateful for the things
I have? Or am I always wanting more?
Why? Am I a good steward of the earth and
its resources? When am I wasteful? Do I
litter? Recycle? Buy only what I truly need?
Have I been respectful of other people's
property? Have I stolen? Did I return
what didn't belong to me? Do I work for
justice?
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT:
UPHOLD HONESTY
You shall not bear false witness against
your neighbour.
God is the source of all truth, and love of
truth leads us to greater love of God.
This commandment urges us to pursue
the truth and to live in honesty.
We must never fear giving voice to the
truths of our faith by sharing what we
believe. We must learn to avoid lies, speak
with discretion and charity, and carefully
assess the truth of information before we
share it with others.
Am I honest? When have I been dishonest?
When have I lied? How has this hurt
someone else? Before I share information
with others, do I make sure that it
is true, charitable, and appropriate to
share? Do I gossip or tear down another's
reputation or good name? When have I
shared information that violated the
privacy of another? When have I betrayed
someone who trusted me? Why?
NINTH COMMANDMENT:
PROMISE FIDELITY
You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife.
This commandment prohibits the forms
of emotional infidelity that endanger
relationships by damaging the trust at their
base. Fidelity is an intentional decision to
save and share the best of ourselves for
the relationships in which we invest the
highest priority. It is fostered by avoiding
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10
temptation, respecting the
relationships of others,
being modest, spending
time together, and loving selflessly.
Have I allowed lust or envy to make me
emotionally unfaithful? Have I pursued
emotional closeness with another instead of
working on my priority relationship? Do my
television and movie selections reflect
my values? Do friends or co-workers tempt
me to be unfaithful? Do I participate
in "harmless" flirtation? Have I been
immodest in dress or behaviour?
TENTH COMMANDMENT:
BESTOW GENEROSITY
You shall not covet your neighbour’s goods.
This commandment calls us to place our
trust solely in God who will give us all
we need. Being happy (not envious or
jealous) about another's good fortune and
moving past our desire to have more to a
desire to share more is a critical final step
in developing right relationships.
The habit of generosity requires that
we develop detachment, recognising that
our value as individuals comes from the
dignity with which God has gifted us, not
from what we own.
How do I decide how much of my time
and money I'll donate and to whom?
How truly generous am I? When have I
given because I expected something in
return? When have I been selfish or greedy?
When have I judged others by their
possessions and wealth or lack thereof?
A regular examination of conscience
will lead you to a regular celebration of
the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This
sacrament is a celebration of God's loving
forgiveness, a ritual reminder that, no
matter how far or how often you stray, God
is always waiting, with joy, to welcome
you back to the path. Celebrating this
sacrament requires the deep sharing that
increases your intimacy with God. Think
of it as regular auto maintenance and the
Ten Commandments as your GPS or
roadmap.
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